To this day, Andermatt has managed to retain some of its Alpine charm: the charm of a rustic old village in the Urseren Valley, where Alpine passes have always played an important role. The Susten, Oberalp, Lukmanier, Gotthard, Nufenen, Grimsel and Furka Passes are all less than 25 kilometres from Andermatt as the crow flies, so cyclists and other visitors can expect a real Alpine atmosphere! At the start, a long straight road leads to the neighbouring village of Hospental with its well-preserved centre, right next to the Gotthard pass road. It’s impossible to get «sidetracked» in the Urseren Valley: surrounded by the impressive mountainscape and riding alongside the Furkareuss river and the Glacier Express railway, there’s almost no room for distractions on this narrow strip of lush meadowland.

After Realp, the geographical conditions change markedly. The road rises abruptly – and so will your pulse, unless you have electric power to assist you. There is an altitude difference of around 1,000 metres to overcome on gradients of up to eleven per cent. With a bit of luck, you may hear the occasional whistle of a marmot or the grand old Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway (DFB) as it passes by. The line between Realp and Oberwald connects the cantons of Uri and Valais through a tunnel just below the Furka Pass. For cyclists, the crossing between the cantons lies at the top of the Furka Pass, 2,429 metres above sea level. Afterwards, they can look forward to a rapid descent on the well-maintained pass road amid an ancient mountainscape. They should take care not to be distracted by the spectacular scenery, otherwise they may find themselves going far too fast before they know it…

The route soon reaches the Rhone Glacier by the Hotel Belvédère. By this point if not before, you’ll have plenty of company. Many tourists come to see the glacier, which has shrunk somewhat due to global warming. Today, the glacier tongue still stands at roughly the same height as the hotel. The landscape starts to change after Gletsch and, on arrival in Oberwald, you’ll find yourself on much flatter terrain.